Pretoria NBG
Succulent Garden

Leaving the Cycad Garden behind and crossing the “koppie” brings you into another world! The northern side of the Garden is hotter and drier than the southern side, creating an environment ideally suited to the growth of our succulent riches – a water-wise garden in its own right!

Fascinating contrasts of form, colour and texture are displayed and separate beds of aromatic pelargoniums offer another level of sensory experience. Living sculptures of nature, different caudiciform plants highly adapted to arid areas are also displayed. Fascinating Euphorbia species, with their wide range of variation, are in a warmer, rock-landscaped area – so typical of Africa. A special section that includes the succulent flora of Madagascar: baobabs, Alluardia, Dideria and Aloe species from some of the world’s most endangered habitats, demonstrates the evolutionary links between southern Africa and Madagascar.

The upper reaches of this fascinating area will soon be accessible to wheelchair-bound visitors.